42 BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



f/. Bill not swoUen basally, its depth at base much less than one-third 

 length of exposed culmen; flanks conspicuously barred with 



whitish Rallus (p. 45) 



dd. Loral antia at lower margin of nasal fossa, anterior outline of loral 

 feathering receding upward toward forehead. 

 e. Mandible with a distinct lateral groove, extending for greater part 

 of its length ; bill slender and greatly compressed, its depth at 

 posterior end of nostril equal to less than one-sixth length of culmen, 

 its width at some point equal to only about one-half the depth ; base 

 of culmen very broad, with rounded (convex) outline ; anterior por- 

 tion of nasal fossa deep and sharply defined; tarsus slenderer, 

 the acrotarsium vsdth 11 large scutella ; wing more rounded, the 

 outermost primary shorter than eighth (from outside), sometimes 

 shortest; coloration uniform or nearly so (olive above, slaty below) 



Ortygonax (extralimltal)" 

 ee. Mandible without a distinct lateral groove ; bill much shorter, its 

 depth at posterior end of nostril equal to more than one-fifth 

 the length of culmen, its width at same point equal to much more 

 than one-half the depth ; base of culmen both broad and elevated, 

 irregularly corrugated, with obtusely angled posterior outline; 

 nasal fossa short and indistinct anterior to nostril ; tarsus stouter, 

 the acrotarsium with 9 large scutella ; wing more pointed, the 

 outermost primary longer than seventh (from outside) ; colora- 

 tion conspicuously variegated (spotted and barred with white 



beneath, streaked with white above) Pardirallus (p. 100) 



cc. Bill shorter than head, the culmen not more (usually much less) than 

 three-fourths as long as tarsus. 

 d. Toes relatively shorter, the inner toe (without claw) not longer than 

 culmen. 

 e. Gonys not more than one-fourth as long as culmen, strongly ascend- 

 ing terminally, the mandibular rami rather distinctly arched ; alula 

 extending for only about half the length of primary coverts ; hallux 

 (without claw) not more than two-thirds as long as basal phalanx 



of inner toe; claws shorter, less curved, blunter Crex (p. 126) 



ee. Gonys more than one-fourth (usually more than one-third) as long 

 as culmen, not strongly ascending terminally; mandibular rami 

 not noticeably, if at all, arched ; alula extending for decidedly 

 more than half the length of primary coverts ; hallux (without 

 claw) more than two-thirds as long as basal phalanx of inner toe; 

 claws longer, more curved, more acute. 

 /. Nostril impervious for basal half or more. 

 g. Middle toe, without claw, nearly as long as tarsus; nostril rela- 

 tively much smaller, the pervious anterior portion very small 

 and circular ; mandibular rami without lateral groove ; feathers 

 of alula more compact and rigid, the two outermost acuminate 



" Ortygonax Heine, in Heine and Eeichenow's Nom. Mus. Hein. Orn., 1890, S21 

 (type, as designated by Sclater, 1891, Rallus rytirhynchus Vieillot). South 

 America. Two or more species. 



"I cannot imagine why the species of this genus should ever have been re- 

 ferred to Limnopardalis, which is conspicuously different, both in appearance 

 and structural details. The general resemblance to Rallus is far greater." 

 (R. B.) 



